Positive thinking: I was reminded the other day of the story of my mother... One of trials, heartache, hard work, and relentless perseverance. In 1969, my mom had an aneurysm at the age of 21 just weeks after she married my father. The doctors were ready to throw in the towel telling my dad she probably wouldn't make it and if she did she'd likely be mostly vegetative never walking, talking, having kids or leading a normal life again. My father refused to accept this and told them to do whatever they had to. They used an experimental clamp in her brain stopping the bleeding and she remained bed bound for quite some time. When she was able to speak again she told what was assumed to be nonsensical stories of things she saw and experienced. For example, she saw what she assumed was Jesus during her procedure and he offered her a choice of baskets, one filled with flowers & the other empty. She wanted the flowers but he said she needed the quote unquote empty one because it was filled with love, patience and understanding...things she would need in her future. Many family members gave up on her and stopped coming around in the years following her accident. But the ones who didn't gave it their all. She came out of the confusion eventually and decided she'd walk again without using a wheelchair. People laughed at her for saying this. However her father built parallel bars for her to do therapy at home, my dad's mother helped take care of her personal needs while my dad worked and they all physically assisted her when she needed to go somewhere... Fastforward to 1981, she and my father adopted me, their 2nd child. My mother has been gone now for almost 2 decades, however the lasting memories of her dedication to her family and loving generosity and kindness has not faded a bit. Not only did my mother make it, she obviously talked and walked again as well as raised children, was a girl scout leader, an avid camper and outdoors type, a devoted sports mom, a firefighter's wife auxiliary member, was a second parent and friend to other kids in the neighborhood and was just generally an all around caring and selfless person. She worked endlessly to make others happy even through severe depression and multiple mental breakdowns and never asked for a thing or complained. She was one of the most grateful and humble people I've ever met in my life. I strive to be just a tiny bit like her everyday... And you know what? She never used that Damned wheelchair! Stories like this make piddly day to day issues seem not so big. I got to feeling sorry for myself recently just having a general feeling of wanting to give up then she came to mind. What a brave soul. How could I ever think that way after being raised by such a woman!?! #perspective #staypositive #love # gratitude